Garbage receptacle



Aug. 21, 1962 E. R. GERMAlNE ETAL 3,050,209

GARBAGE RECEPTACLE Filed May 5, 1960 INVENTORS Edward R. Germgine y ChadL. Germaine Attorneys United rates aten 95 3,050,209 GARBAGE RECEPTACLEEdward R. Germaine, 5633 Sapunor Way, Carmichael, Calif., and Chad L.Germaine, 3812 Anadale Lane,

Sacramento, Calif.

Filed May 5, 1960, Ser. No. 27,143 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-18) This inventionrelates to garbage receptacles and, more particularly, to garbagereceptacles adapted for being sunk partially into the ground and forbeing in part foot-operated.

Sunken, foot-operated garbage receptacles have usually been designedwith somewhat insuificient regard for one of the major features of theiroperation; that is, they have often been designed without suflicientregard to smoothness and quietness of operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide asunken foot-operated garbage container which is particularly adapted forsmooth and noiseless operation throughout.

It is another object of the invention to provide a garbage receptaclewhich is adapted for cushioned assembly and separation of the variousseparate parts.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a garbagecontainer which is easy to keep cleaned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive andgenerally improved sunken foot-operated garbage receptacle.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in theembodiment described in the following description and shown in theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is'a perspective view of, the garbage receptacle of theinvention, with the lid in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective View of the garbage receptacle shownin FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view, to an enlarged scale, ofthe receptacle in ground-mounted position.

While the device of the invention is susceptible of numerous physicalembodiments, depending on the environment and requirements of use,substantial numbers of the herein shown and described embodiment havebeen made, used and sold, and have performed in a very successfulmanner.

The garbage receptacle of the invention includes an outer containerformed as a hollow cylindrical shell 11 having an upwardly opening mouth12 and adapted to be sunk into the ground 13 (FIGURE 3). The shell 11 iscurled outwardly at the mouth 12 to define a peripheral flange 14 forlimiting the extent of insertion of the shell into the ground, theflange 14 being reversely and downwardly peripherally curled forproviding an elevation of the mouth 12 above the ground level to guardagainst surface drainage into the mouth.

The ground 13 may be prepared with an upper structural surface, such asa layer or slab of concrete 16 or other material, the slab having anopening 17 formed therein corresponding in diameter to the greatestdiameter of the body of the shell 11 but less than the maximum diameterof the flange 14. The outer lateral surface of the shell is providedwith recessed portions 18 and 19, defined in part by peripheral raisedportions 21 and 22, for greater strength and for receiving and engagingthe material of the ground 13 after insertion of the shell downwardlythrough the opening 17, so as to resist withdrawal of the shell and toresist the buoyant effort of ground water on the shell.

The outer container 11 also has a cover member 23 snugly fitting overthe mouth 12 and being hinged to the shell 11, as by a hinge 24, forpivotal movement, about a horizontal hinge pin 26, in a vertical plane.The cover member 23 is provided with foot-operable means, here shown asincluding a lever 27 extending upwardly and radially outwardly from thehinged portion of the cover member, and in a direction extendinggenerally from the hinge pin 26, so that the cover member is opened upondownward pressure of a foot on the lever 27.

-It wil be seen that the hinge pin 26 is elevated above the surface ofthe surrounding concrete 16, so that the lever 27, When pressed fullydownwardly, engages the concrete at an angle adapted to hold the openedcover member radially outwardly inclined with respect to the shell 11.The mouth 12 is thuscleared for unimpeded insertion or removal of thecontents and when fully opened the lid will stay open until urged towardclosed position.

Th device of the invention is also provided with an inner containerformed as a hollow cylindrical bucket 31 having an upper rim 32 definingan opening 33. The bucket 31 fits snugly within the outer containershell 11 with the upper rim 32 formed for and snugly engaging the underside of the cover member 23, and defining with the cover member and withthe shell 11 a relatively restricted air space 36 (FIGURE 3) forcushioning the closing movement of the cover member 23.

More particularly, the upper rim 32 of the bucket in inserted positionis formed to extend above the upper portion of the flange 1'4, and thelid member is formed, as with a downwardly extending portion 37, toengage the rim 32. The lid also includes a portion 38 extendingperipherally outwardly and downwardly to engage the flange 14 at alocation remote from the mouth 12. Thus, the flange 14, the cover memberportion 38, and the bucket rim 32 combine to define the air space 36,which, as may be seen in FIGURE 3, is relatively much smaller than theinterior cavity of the bucket 31, and operates to trap a quantity of airwhen the cover member descends to closed position, and to cushion theimpact of descent so as to prevent jarring and clatter.

It should be clear that the air cavity 36 is relatively more effectivein producing such cushioning effect than would be the main interiorcavity of the bucket 31, which has a considerably greater depth intowhich the entrapped air may be compresesd. However, while the maincavity produces a considerably smaller cushioning effect per uitcross-section (horizontal) area, there is a definite air-dome orair-cushion effect, particularly when the bucket becomes rather full ofgarbage.

The bucket 31 has an elongated curved bail 41 pivotally connected atdiametrically opposite locations 42 and 43 on the upwardly extending rim32 of the bucket and relatively above the level of the outer shellflange 14. The intermediate portion 44 of the bail is formed to overlieand to be supported by the rim 32 in the inoperative condition of thebail (FIGURE 3 Thus, the bail is located entirely above the outer shell11 and beneath the cover member 31 so as not to interfere with thesemembers, and is at the same time positioned for ready accessibility to aperson operating the device. Ordinarily the bail is positioned at restas shown in FIGURE 3, with the intermediate bail portion 44 oriented on'the hinged side 46 of the cover member 23; and the cover member, inturn, is spaced above the rim 32 of the bucket on the side 46 so as toprovide room for and accommodate the bail. In this arrangement,therefore, the downwardly extending portion 37 of the cover member isformed only on the side 47 of the cover member, opposite the side 46.

The cover member 23 is also particularly formed in a domed shape, asshown in FIGURE 3, the portion 38 extending downwardly and outwardly toengage the flange 14 remote from the mouth 12 as above described, sothat the structure provides a rain shed preventing falling and drainingwater from seeping into the outer shell 31.

As another important feature of the invention, the bucket 31 is formedwith the upper and lower peripherally enlarged portions 51 and 52 snuglyfitting the inner wall 53 of the outer shell 11 for causing apiston-like action of the bucket on insertion into the shell and forthereby cushioning the insertion action of the bucket 31 to preventclatter. In this arrangement, the outer peripheral surface 54 of thebucket, intermediate the upper and lower portions 51 and 52, is ofsmaller diameter than the portions 51 and 2, and is thus spaced from theinner wall 53 of the shell for minimal frictional resistance therewithduring insertion and withdrawal of the bucket 31.

Also, to reduce noise andfclatter, the bucket 31, the

, shell 11 and the cover member 23 with the associated lever 27 andhinge 24, are all preferably made of a material such as fiberglass, forease of cleaning, resistance to chemical attack and physical shock, andmay be cast or moulded to form for reducing the manufacturing costs.

What is claimed is:

I A garbage receptacle comprising:

(a) a hollow cylindrical shell having an upwardly opening mouth;

(b) a peripheral curled flange encompassing said mouth and extendingoutwardly therefrom, the outer margin of said flange being at anelevation below said mouth for supporting said shell at an elevationsuch that said mouth is above ground level;

(c) a plurality of peripherally raised portions disposed on the outerwalls of said shell, said flange being in bearing engagement with thesurface of the ground and said peripherally raised portions includingupper radial shoulders capable of engaging the ground packed above themand of resisting the upward buoyancy of said shell in wet ground;

(d) a hollow cylindrical bucket insert-able in said shell, sad bucketincluding an upper annular margin defining a central opening, theelevation of said margin being at least as high as the elevation of thehighest portion of said flange, said bucket further including on itsouter walls aplurality of peripherally enlarged bands, .the outerperiphery of each of said bands having a diameter slightly less than theinner diameter of said shell for causing apiston-like action as saidbucket is inserted in said mouth and released; and

(e) a foot-operated cover pivotally mounted on said flange, said coverincluding a downwardly extending annular portion adapted to register inclosed position with said upper annular margin of said bucket, and aperipheral rim on said cover, said peripheral rim extending radiallybeyond said downwardly extending annular portion, said rim terminatingat an annular margin engageable with said flange on said shell at anelevation above ground level, said rim defining with said flange on saidshell and with the upper outer Wall of said bucket an annular air space,said space having a substantial volume capable of cushioning the fall ofsaid cover from open position to closed position, said cover having arelatively low mass relative to said volume of said air space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,009,842 Jones Nov. 28, 1911 1,115,016 Pheils Oct. 27 1914 1,687,327 DeBoer Oct. 9, 1928 1,907,775 Flook May 9, 1933 2,610,443 Carlson Sept.16, 1952' 2 ,754,625 Rasmussen July 17, 1956 2,925,190 Littleton Feb.16, 1960

